Thirty-five Reservists from the 433rd Security Forces Squadron returned home to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, on Jan. 31 following a six-month deployment to Kuwait in support of Operations Inherent Resolve, Freedom’s Sentinel, and Spartan Shield, the squadron told Air Force Magazine on Feb. 9.
During the deployment, the Lackland defenders “provided air base defense and base security” at Kuwait International Airport, squadron leadership wrote in a response to questions from the magazine.
“Their defense posturing and mission awareness protected over 3,000 coalition personnel and 3,500 combat sorties,” the leaders wrote. “During their six-plus month deployment, they searched over 4,500 vehicles, completed 1,100 random antiterrorism measures, and secured over $105 billion dollars worth of AFCENT resources.”
The Airmen also reinforced “perimeter security” at the airport, preventing the Islamic State group from breaching Cargo City, they added.
“The 433rd Security Forces Squadron has a proud history of stepping up and deploying when the nation calls,” said Squadron Commander Maj. Matthew Darisse in a Feb. 4 release. “And despite the challenges presented with the global pandemic they did the same thing over the last six months. I’m certainly proud of their efforts.”
The 433th SFS is charged with safeguarding “deployed weapons systems against sabotage” and to supplement military bases’ existing security forces, according to the squadron’s fact sheet.
The unit—which belongs to the 433rd Airlift Wing—also helps protect personnel at deployed spots such as main operating bases, limited bases, and bare bases, and operates “in a joint service environment to include host nation forces at all levels of conflict to include military operations other than war,” the fact sheet states.
Acting Air Force Secretary John P. Roth and USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. recently ordered the Air Force Inspector General to undertake a review of base security at every Department of the Air Force installation across the globe following a Feb. 4 breach at Joint Base Andrews, Md.